12 Reasons Turkey Should Be Expelled From NATO

Turkey’s acceptance to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in October 1951 was a boon for the organization. Though its human rights record was far from stellar, it was staunchly anti-Communist, maintained a formidable army, was amenable to the placement of NATO assets in the country, including nuclear-tipped Jupiter ballistic missiles and was strategically located, flanking the Soviet Union on the south and acting as a bridge between Europe and Asia.

Though Turkey was technically a Muslim country, it leaders, following the doctrines espoused by Kemal Ataturk, zealously guarded the secular nature of the state. Religious influence was kept to a minimum and this was especially true for government officials and parliamentarians. …

With the ascension of Recep Tayyip Erdogan as prime minister in 2003, the equation began to change. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot, began systematically changing the character of secular Turkey, incrementally at first so as not to upset the Turkish Army, but at an accelerated pace in recent years. Now president, Erdogan has consolidated his power and has neutered his foes in the press, the judiciary, the political opposition, and the army.

The Turkey of today is vastly different than the Turkey that existed prior to the ascension of Erdogan. The nation is currently led by a neo-Ottoman, heavy-handed, authoritarian Islamist who shares nothing in common with his NATO partners, and who works at cross-purposes with NATO to frustrate its objectives. Rather than being an asset, Turkey has become a hindrance to NATO …

On multiple occasions, Erdogan has threatened to flood Europe with Syrian and Iraqi migrants camped in Turkey if his extortionist demands were not met. He has demanded visa-free access for Turkish nationals to EU nations, demanded Turkish admittance to the EU, and demanded billions of euros in extortion money from EU nations. Considering Turkey’s abysmal human rights record, Islamist bent and close affiliation with Islamist terrorist groups, these demands are beyond absurd. …

Erdogan has chosen a virulently anti-Western path that veers sharply from NATO’s. He has demonstrated that he is nothing but an unhinged, conspiracy-prone and deeply anti-Semitic thug. It’s time now for NATO to politely show Erdogan the door and expel Turkey from the alliance.